November 13, 2010

Indiana Social Security disability claimants waiting for a hearing have had their patience tested. Currently, the Indianapolis Social Security hearings office known as The Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) has a very lengthy wait. Now add in the ever growing amount of individuals applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims, which have been estimated at perhaps 700,000 more initial claims in Fiscal Year 2010 compared to the number in Fiscal Year 2008, and it becomes obvious measures must be taken to alleviate this tremendous caseload.

What is the Virtual Screening Unit and will it help me? This is a tool to identify cases that may receive a favorable outcome without the use of a hearing. By identifying certain factors and forwarding these cases to the Social Security Administration’s senior attorneys it is believed this will help alleviate the hearing backlog because a fully favorable determination can be made on the record. In Social Security disability lawyer Scott Lewis’ experience the majority of the individuals sent to the virtual screening unit are over 50 years of age. Although, some are younger than 50 years old, it would appear these younger individuals selected by the Virtual Screening Unit have substantial severe disabilities that the virtual screening unit may believe can be found fully favorable without a hearing.

At times, an attorney advisor may contact Indianapolis disability attorney Scott Lewis’ office and request more recent updated medical records to help further a determination on their Indiana Social Security claim. As always, Indianapolis Social Security attorney Scott Lewis advises his disability clients to keep seeking medical attention while their claim is pending. When it comes to your day in front of an Indiana Administrative Law Judge or in selected cases the eyes of an Attorney Advisor you will want them to be able to point at particular medical documents and be able to easily determine you are disabled.

Can I ask to be looked at by the Virtual Screening Unit? Indianapolis disability lawyer Scott Lewis has found to the best of his knowledge, they select you, you don’t select them. The Virtual Screening Unit uses screening tools combined with the use of your electronic file to decide if you can be considered.